The Rochester school board Thursday voted to extend its collaboration with the University of Rochester at East High School for another five years, deepening its most significant community partnership despite the considerable expense.

The original five-year contract expires at the end of the 2019-20 school year; the board resolution approves the negotiation of a new deal of up to five years. It was a 5-2 vote with Cynthia Elliott and Judith Davis opposed.

The extension will include some significant elements that the first did not, most significantly a technical assistance center to facilitate the sharing of best practices and curriculum from East to the rest of the district.

Elliott said she doesn’t believe the partnership has been sufficiently evaluated and objected to the cost. East has significantly more support staff like social workers and counselors than other schools, and state figures show that East Upper School, grades 9-12, was budgeted to receive nearly $16,000 more per pupil than the median RCSD school.

“We’ve got a superintendent who’s the superintendent of one school,” she said. “We’ve got another superintendent who’s the superintendent of 30 or 40 schools. It’s not sustainable. … Are we going to put the same amount of money into all our schools?”

East Superintendent Shaun Nelms said the state expenditure figures are not quite right, but said the extension will be about 10 percent less expensive than the initial one. The final terms have not yet been written.

The new resolution also includes assurances that at the end of 2023-24, the district and university will work together on a transition plan back to district control so as not to disrupt students.

Graduation rates have risen sharply at East and student suspension rates have fallen. Attendance has remained problematic, though, and the school has come under fire for taking in fewer students overall, including those with disabilities or English language learners.

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Board President Van White, one of the original architects of the partnership, defended it forcefully, saying it was something the district couldn't afford not to do.

“So far what we have is an EPO showing exactly the model we’d expect of a successful turnaround model,” board member Willa Powell said. “I believe scholars will be writing doctoral theses on what’s been done differently at East that made it successful where others have failed.”